US DOJ will finally sue Apple after years of antitrust investigation

Governments put pressure on Apple as antitrust scrutiny increases

An antitrust investigation against Apple by the DOJ has been underway since a complaint from Spotify in 2019. Over the years, other Apple competitors added to the case in 2020, 2021, and 2022.

According to a report from Bloomberg, the DOJ is finally ready to sue Apple due to antitrust concerns. The lawsuit is set to be filed as soon as Thursday.

The investigation seemed like it would never end as empty promises of a lawsuit were offered for four consecutive years. Everything seemed to finally be approaching an actual lawsuit after Apple was given its customary pre-filing meeting in February 2024.

Filing the lawsuit is just the beginning. The DOJ will have to make its case, Apple will undoubtedly appeal, and the cycle will repeat for years to come.

There is a chance that the DOJ will seek a ruling that gets US customers access to similar requirements set by the EU Digital Markets Act. Apple has had to create 600 new APIs to open up iOS to alternative marketplaces and new payment options, and the US government may use the existence of such tools as leverage to push for compliance.

News of the DOJ finally suing Apple arrives just hours after US companies complain over Apple's implementation of removing anti-steering practices. The US courts will likely rule for changes to Apple's business model, but there's no telling what form those changes will take.